The present invention relates to a cleaning device for toner detecting sensor for use in an electrophotographic copying machine, printer and the like.
In a copying machine and the like, toner detecting sensors which detect toner density and emptiness of toner in a toner containing chamber are disposed in a toner transporting section or the toner containing chamber, however, when toner is accumulated on and adhered to the surface of the toner detecting sensor, accurate toner detection can not be carried out. In order to solve the problem, a device which is equipped with a cleaning elastic plate or cleaning brush attached to a rotating shaft so as to clean the surface of the toner detecting sensor by slidably contacting with the sensor in correlative movement with rotation of the rotating shaft is well known.
For example, there is disclosed a cleaning device in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 148017/1981 which removes toner accumulated on the surface of a toner detecting sensor by a brush attached to a rotating shaft. However, in the conventional device, cleaning elastic plates and brushes slidably contact with the surface of the toner detecting sensor and the surface of sensor is scratched and scraped off. And, as a result, it can not be endured for use of long duration, and moreover, normal detection can not be carried out since the distance between the detecting part of the sensor and the toner to be detected is varied because of toner accumulation.